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🌀 Fermenting the Future
In this week’s DECORKED digest, we spotlight the world’s top wines in 2025, how Gen Z is reshaping wine culture, why mid-strength wines may outpace no-alcohol, and why Rioja winemakers are falling back in love with concrete.

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Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week ahead. In this week’s DECORKED digest, we spotlight the world’s top wines in 2025, how Gen Z is reshaping wine culture, why mid-strength wines may outpace no-alcohol, and why Rioja winemakers are falling back in love with concrete. Keep reading!
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Read the most important and interesting news this week.
📍 Wineries are now a top choice for dining and stays among tourists in Italy READ HERE
🇦🇺 The under-the-radar Australian wine region you should know READ HERE
🍾 Norah Jones launches a French rosé and sparkling wine READ HERE
⛓️💥 US set to drop daily alcohol limits from dietary guidelines READ HERE
📈 Vietnam to hike tax on alcoholic drinks to 90% READ HERE
🕊️ Ruinart winemaker dies in tragic accident READ HERE

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We curate, filter, and select only the most exciting and important news for you.

DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS 2025 REVEALED
The Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 has unveiled its prestigious Top 50 Best in Show winners, representing just 0.3% of nearly 18,000 wines tasted by an international panel of experts. This year’s honorees span 14 countries and include a wide range of styles, from Champagne and Bordeaux to Port, sweet wines, and emerging varietals; each recognized for outstanding quality, flavor, and distinction through rigorous blind tasting rounds.

SICILY’S MANIFESTO REINVENTS WINE’S ROLE
In Sicily, a new cultural manifesto titled Wine is a Contemporary Story redefines how we talk about wine - not just as a product, but as a living expression of creativity, sustainability, and identity. Developed by leading voices in Italian wine, art, and academia, it argues that to stay relevant amid declining consumption and shifting values, the wine world must change its narrative, embracing a modern voice that reflects the beauty, complexity, and cultural weight of wine today. It presents wine as a modern, dynamic language that reflects both tradition and contemporary relevance.

HOW MID-STRENGTH WINES CAN WIN WHERE NO-ALCOHOL FAILED
A new review from the University of Adelaide reveals that mid-strength wines (6–10% ABV) may be the key to mainstream success in the no-low-mid (NLM) alcohol category, growing faster than fully alcohol-free options. Despite the push for health-conscious drinking, zero-alcohol wines often face issues with taste and perception. Mid-strength wines strike a better balance, retaining wine-like qualities while supporting moderation. Consumer psychology, identity, social signaling, and marketing all play key roles in acceptance, with research urging clearer definitions and broader cultural studies to better guide the industry’s future.

MADEIRA’S AGING CRISIS
Madeira producer Blandy’s discovered a surprising truth after relocating part of its aging stock to a new warehouse in Caniçal: the wines stopped evolving. This prompted head winemaker to launch a major scientific study, revealing that aging conditions; especially temperature, humidity, and even wind exposure, dramatically affect Madeira’s development. Unlike in Port or Sherry, where some of this is known, Madeira lacked in-depth research. These findings now inform precise aging strategies that vary by grape and wine style, helping refine Madeira’s signature complexity. The result is a renewed understanding that location (even within the same island) is key to how Madeira matures.

THE BENEFITS OF PROPRIETARY YEAST
Proprietary yeasts (microbes cultivated from native vineyards and isolated for specific wineries) are gaining traction as a middle ground between commercial and natural fermentation. Winemakers in Uruguay, Sicily, South Africa, Hungary, and the U.S. are embracing these custom strains to express terroir, improve fermentation control, and maintain wine authenticity. Research-led efforts have shown that native yeasts can enhance aroma, structure, and regional identity. As adoption spreads globally, proprietary yeasts are becoming a tool for innovation and tradition in modern winemaking.

WILL GEN Z EVER DRINK WINE?
Despite the headlines, Gen Z isn’t killing wine. It’s just discovering it differently. Wine consumption is down across all demographics, not just Gen Z, amid economic pressure, health-conscious trends, and social shifts. But young consumers are showing interest in wine through hobbies like dinner parties and DIY entertaining. The real issue is the wine industry's failure to evolve - its complexity, lack of accessibility, and resistance to change. Instead of blaming Gen Z, the industry should better meet young drinkers where they are, with transparency, diversity, and a more welcoming, modern approach.

REDISCOVERING THE POWER OF CONCRETE
In Rioja, concrete is back. Once dismissed as a relic of post-war practicality, concrete winemaking vessels are seeing a resurgence among producers looking to highlight purity, texture, and terroir. Winemakers are embracing the material's ability to preserve fruit character while offering subtle oxygenation; without the overt imprint of oak. While not replacing barrels entirely, concrete is becoming central to a "new old" style of Rioja, proving that innovation sometimes means returning to the past.

Discover wine events worldwide.
🥂 English Wine Week (June 21 - 29, UK) - LEARN MORE
🥂 La Batalla de Vino (June 27 - 30, Haro, Spain) - LEARN MORE
🥂 Santa Fe Wine Festival (July 5 - 6, Santa Fe, US) - LEARN MORE

Learn something new every week.

Copyright @ Wine of Moldova
WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: STEFAN VODA, MOLDOVA
Stefan Voda is a Protected Geographical Indication in southeastern Moldova, recognized for its red wines and diverse terroir. Covering 1107 hectares, its vineyards favor black grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, though Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also prominent. The region’s gently sloped terrain, iron-rich soils, and sunny, dry climate create ideal conditions for quality viticulture.

Copyright @ Romanian Wine
GRAPE OF THE WEEK: FETEASCA REGALA
Feteasca Regala is a white grape variety native to Romania and widely grown in regions like Dealu Mare and Transylvania. Likely a cross of Feteasca Alba and Grasa de Cotnari, it thrives in continental climates with sufficient rainfall. Known for its aromatic profile, it produces more complex wines than Feteasca Alba, especially when barrel-aged or blended with Muscat Ottonel.
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